In 2010, when Connie moved back to Australia after a volunteer project overseas, she moved to Newtown and fell in love with the neighbourhood.

Connie’s natural curiosity and desire to practically apply what she learns, in combination with her strong belief in human rights, a just society and a strong sense of inclusiveness, means she typically has ‘one foot in business and one in community’. When the opportunity to join Newtown Neighbourhood Centre's Board arose, she jumped at the chance to be involved and use her skills to contribute to her local community.

Connie started her career as a health psychologist specialising in working with people with traumatic injuries and illness. She worked as an academic and eventually shifted to business psychology. She has run Learning Quest, a leadership development and change facilitation company in Sydney, since 2001. She holds qualifications in Psychology, International Public Health and Rehabilitation Counselling. She co-authored BrainWise Leadership: Practical neuroscience to survive and thrive at work in 2014 and currently writes a blog on leadership and thriving through change.